The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 eBook

“Bhishma said, ’Listen to me with concentrated
attention, O king, as I explain to thee, O Bharata,
these mysteries appertaining to duties, after the
same manner in which the holy Vyasa had explained them
to me in days of yore. This subject is a mystery
to the very deities, O monarch. Yama of stainless
deeds, with the aid of vows well-observed and Yoga
meditation, had acquired the knowledge of these mysteries
as the high fruits of his penances.[539] What pleases
what deity, what pleases the Pitris, the Rishis, the
Pramathas (associates of Mahadeva), the goddess Sri,
Chitragupta (the recording assistant of Yama), and
the mighty Elephants at the cardinal points of the
compass, what constitutes the religion of the Rishis—­the
religion, which has many mysteries and which is productive
of high fruits,—­the merits of what are called
great gifts, and the merits that attach to all the
sacrifices, he who knows these, O sinless one, and
knowing acts according to his knowledge, becomes freed
from stains if he has stains and acquires the merits
indicated. Equal to ten butchers is one oilman.
Equal to ten oilmen is one drinker of alcohol.
Equal to ten drinkers of alcohol is one courtezan.
Equal to ten courtezans is a single (territorial)
chief.[540] A great king is said to be equal to half
of these all. Hence, one should not accept, gifts
from these. On the other hand, one should attend
to the science, that is sacred and that has righteousness
for its indications, of the aggregate of three (viz.,
Religion, Wealth, and Pleasure). Amongst these,
Wealth and Pleasure are naturally attractive.
Hence, one should, with concentrated attention, listen
to the sacred expositions of Religion (in particular),
for the fruits are very great of listening to the mysteries
of Religion. One should certainly hear every topic
connected with Religion as ordained by the deities
themselves. In it is contained the ritual in
respect of the Sraddha in which have been declared
the mysteries connected with the Pitris. The
mysteries connected with all the deities have also
been explained there. It comprehends the duties
and practices, productive of great merit, of the Rishis
also, together with the mysteries attaching to them.
It contains an exposition of the merits o f great
sacrifices and those that attach to all kinds of gifts.
Those men who always read the scriptures bearing on
these topics, those who bear them properly in their
mind, and he who, having listened to them, follows
them in practice, are all regarded to be as holy and
sinless as the puissant Narayana himself. The
merits that attach to the gift of kine, those that
belong to the performance of ablutions in sacred waters,
those that are won by the performance of sacrifices,—­all
these are acquired by that man who treats guests with
reverence. They who listen to these scriptures,
they who are endued with faith, and they who have a
pure heart, it is well-known, conquer many regions
of happiness. Those righteous men who are endued